Otherwise, this tool should serve the average commuter well. Specifically, we think you’ll find the size 4, 5, and 6 hex keys, extremely common sizes in bicycles, very helpful. They’ll adjust seat-post heights or let you remove the saddle entirely, or tighten a loose stem that’s always rattling apart. The Phillips head will tighten loose bolts on shoe cleats or the rear derailleur. The most common use for the torx would be adjusting disc brakes if you have ’em.
Dennis Bailey has been actively involved in bike repair and maintenance for almost two decades. He has worked on bikes on bike tours in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Keith Gates has been repairing bikes for more than 30 years and provides personalized service as the owner of A-1 Cycling, with locations in Manassas and Herndon, Virginia.
The Bicycle Repair Shop does rentals by the hour or by the day. They have reasonable rates. They have solid, lightweight hybrid bikes so you can tackle train tracks and brick streets and hills. They also have road bikes for the more experienced. You can reserve online in advance. You get a helmet and a lock with your rental. The staff in the shop are friendly and will suggest routes and point out hills if you're new to the area. And believe me these hills are no joke!

On the other hand, an on-bike repair kit will be a much smarter selection of tools that you are most likely to need. You should figure out the type of screws that are fitted on your bike and the things that are most likely to go wrong on a ride. Address only these things so as not to burden yourself too much with unnecessary stuff. Moreover, there are bike repair kits used on long rides and those used on shorter rides. The longer the ride, the more tools, and spare parts you will have to bring unless you want to have a very long hike back home.

We rented a tandem bike from here for an hour, and they were super chill! We dropped by on a Sunday and decided to go eat first; Andy, one of the owners, was awesome about holding the bike for us while we went to eat before renting. We enjoyed our ride for just over an hr, but Andy was also super relaxed about our return time and only charged us for an hour. We had a fantastic time and would definitely recommend renting bikes from here!
For the budding mechanic: A good pocket sized repair guide. One good option is the “Pocket Guide to Emergency Bicycle Repair” by Ron Cordes and Eric Grove. It’s only 3.5×4.5 inches and a half inch thick. I don’t carry this myself, but for someone who’s new to this whole bike repair business, it’s really helpful to have. A future blog post will cover this book in detail.
That’s a reality of all hand pumps—it’s really hard to get a tire up to pressure with these things. So another reason Lezyne pumps are so good is because you can actually keep pumping longer than any other brand we tested. With excruciating effort, we could get the Sport Drive HP to pump tires to 90 or 100 psi. It still wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t impossible the way it was with some other models.
We rented a tandem bike from here for an hour, and they were super chill! We dropped by on a Sunday and decided to go eat first; Andy, one of the owners, was awesome about holding the bike for us while we went to eat before renting. We enjoyed our ride for just over an hr, but Andy was also super relaxed about our return time and only charged us for an hour. We had a fantastic time and would definitely recommend renting bikes from here!
Yes, bicycle shops generally provide repair services. A typical list of offered services includes regular service/adjustment (including safety check; and brake, drivetrain, and tire inspection); premium, and annual service, which is a more extensive tune-up. More specific repairs include drivetrain tune-up, brake system tune-up, flat tire fixes, brake repairs, cleaning and touching up the bike frame.
Any bike that gets ridden seriously as transportation or on long rides needs at least a basic tool/emergency kit, and the knowledge to use it, unless the rider is always in a position to call a friend with a car or a cab when their bike needs a quick fix on the road. If you never travel more than a few miles, this can be overkill, and calling a friend or a cab may be just the ticket, but if you want to be more self reliant, this is something you should seriously consider. This list may sound like an awful lot of stuff to carry, but really, it only weighs a few lbs and fits in a small, under-seat bag that comes off quickly so I don’t have to leave it with the bike if theft is a concern. If you always carry a regular rack top bag, you can also just put all this in a small nylon bag and throw it in there, but I prefer an under-seat bag.
Before I get started, I should mention that I never leave reviews. This is probably my first one on Yelp. These guys are just so great that I felt compelled to give them a shoutout. This is the shop I hoped to find when I began commuting two years ago. I'm a daily commuter and I love knowing that these guys will help me almost anytime that I need it. Andy, Jake and Brad listen and make sure to help me as best they can and are always speedy about it. Additionally, they encourage me to do my own work on my bikes when I have the time/when they know I'm capable and I really appreciate that encouragement. These guys will give you their best and provide some laughs as well. Couldn't recommend them more!
On a very sunny Saturday I had a rear spoke break - you can imagine that no shop was willing to promise a quick repair! I was so fortunate to find this shop and will come back - Andy not only told me to come down and he'd get it fixed, he had his assistant work with another couple while he measured, cut to the right size, installed and trued the wheel while I waited! It was awesome, and the whole place had a great feel and good people. Best of all he charged a very fair $20 for all that work - I would have paid a premium for the quick service! After experiencing lots of attitude at other shops and poor service, this was a real find. I hope you will check them out, they have a great selection of bikes and accessories too! Good people and good craftsmanship should be rewarded.
Some years ago, I used to live on my bike. Riding around daily through any weather condition was bound to quickly wear down on the bike over time. I like some of the stuff that you have in your toolkit. I would say zip ties are actually really convenient, because when something came loose you could go ahead and use those to fasten them down to keep on moving ahead until you had enough time to fix it or get it checked at a bike repair shop.
Do not take your Bike to Kyle's Bike Shop they handled my bike so poorly they can not work on Vintage Schwinn' and the attitude they had if it wasn't a high dollar bike don't expect good service. I had to find my own parts, had to take the bike back twice to get the wheel trued and they ruined my bike it is so scrapped up the Schwinn is gone on the side of the bike. If you care about your bike do not take it here.

Writer Peter Flax, the former editor-in-chief of Bicycling magazine, rode over 1,000 miles and tested 15 tools for our full-length guide to multi-tools, and he concluded the Topeak Mini 9 is the best for casual cyclists. It’s tiny, it’s light, it’s easier to get some leverage with than other tools that have different designs. It’s not meant for serious wrenching on your bike, but it’s good for on-the-fly adjustments.

Brakes come in a variety of designs depending on the age and style of your bike. Rim brakes offer more modulation but have less stopping power, so are more suited to riding on the roads. Disc brakes can provide huge amounts of stopping power so are best suited to off road riding, although ‘V’ rim brakes are also well suited to mountain biking. All brakes use a friction system to stop the movement of the wheel, so regular checks of the contact pads should form part of your regular cycle maintenance.